1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for controlling a communication-executable refrigerator, and more particularly to a system and method for controlling a refrigerator capable of transmitting and receiving information over an external communication network, wherein a schedule management function, a self-diagnosis management function and a component replacement time management function are performed and, if an emergency situation occurs while those functions are performed, a pop-up message is outputted to the screen and information related to the pop-up message is transmitted over the external communication network in real time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, refrigerators are food storage cases with a space for food storage therein. In such a refrigerator, an insulating material is used to insulate the internal space from external environments, and electricity, gas, ice, etc. are used to lower the internal temperature, such that food and the like are cooled or stored at a low temperature for their prevention from decay.
In each home, a refrigerator is generally installed in a kitchen or a place nearest to the kitchen to conveniently preserve food to be cooked or which has already been cooked.
However, it is conventionally next to impossible for a housekeeper in each home to watch television while cooking or handling food. Also, a refrigerator possibly occupying the largest area in a kitchen of each home is usually positioned irrespective of a place where the television is installed. For these reasons, in order to watch the television during housekeeping, the housekeeper must stop work and then move to the place where the television is installed, resulting in an inconvenience of use.
Furthermore, it is conventionally next to impossible for a housekeeper in each home to use communication means such as the Internet or telephone as well as to watch television while cooking or handling food. Also, a refrigerator possibly occupying the largest area in a kitchen of each home is usually positioned irrespective of places where the television and communication means are installed. For these reasons, in order to watch the television or use the communication means during housekeeping, the housekeeper must stop work and then move to the place where the television or communication means is installed, resulting in an inconvenience of use.
Recently, with the increasing interest in the Internet, housekeepers have increasingly and widely used information obtained from the Internet. Because the housekeepers perform the majority of daily work in kitchens, they each must move to a separate space to use an Internet-accessible computer. Moreover, the housekeepers each must manipulate specific keys on a keyboard to create mails and forward them over the Internet, resulting in an inconvenience of use.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for controlling a refrigerator capable of transmitting and receiving information over an external communication network, wherein a display unit is installed on the front surface of the refrigerator to display an image on its screen, a touch panel is connected to the display unit to input a variety of user commands through touch by the user, a schedule management function, a self-diagnosis management function and a component replacement time management function are performed and, if an emergency situation occurs while those functions are performed, a pop-up message is outputted to the screen and information related to the pop-up message is transmitted over the external communication network.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for controlling a communication-executable refrigerator, wherein a touch panel and a remote controller are selectively used to input a variety of function key signals enabling a user to watch television, so that the user can conveniently watch the television or enter desired key signals during housekeeping, a display unit is provided such that the user can check delivered mails or character messages based on key inputs entered by himself or herself, and a camera and microphone are provided to send and receive image and voice mails.